Is this the same as the Microsoft Graph API?
No, and the two are unrelated. Microsoft Graph exposes organisational data. PlotLark takes a small series and returns a chart image.
A chart API that returns an image, not a canvas
PlotLark answers one question well: given a small series and some styling, return a picture of it. There is no bundle to ship, no chart object to configure, and nothing to run in the browser at the other end.
- Server-rendered images
- Transparent query parameters
- Bounded, documented limits
URL
https://www.plotlark.com/api/chart?type=area&title=Monthly+recurring+revenue&labels=Jan%2CFeb%2CMar%2CApr%2CMay%2CJun&values=18%2C27%2C36%2C44%2C58%2C72&width=900&height=520&color=%23ff7b5c&background=%23fffdf8&grid=true&valuesOn=truecURL
curl "https://www.plotlark.com/api/chart?type=area&title=Monthly+recurring+revenue&labels=Jan%2CFeb%2CMar%2CApr%2CMay%2CJun&values=18%2C27%2C36%2C44%2C58%2C72&width=900&height=520&color=%23ff7b5c&background=%23fffdf8&grid=true&valuesOn=true" --output chart.svgNo account and no key needed for these requests. Swap /api/chart for / to reopen the same configuration in the studio.
An image API and a chart library solve different problems
Neither replaces the other. The question is whether the viewer's environment can run your code.
| Situation | Image API | Client-side library |
|---|---|---|
| Email, PDF, README, bot message | Works — it is only an image | Does not run at all |
| Hover, zoom, drill-down | Not available | The right tool |
| Server-generated reports | One request per chart | Needs a headless browser |
| Page weight | One cached image request | A charting bundle plus data |
What this API is not
- Not a graph data API
- Searches for "graph api" usually mean Microsoft Graph. PlotLark has nothing to do with identity, mail, or org data; it draws charts.
- Not an interactive chart runtime
- The response is a finished image. Tooltips, animation, and zoom belong to a library that runs in the page.
- Not a data warehouse
- There are no connectors, scheduled refreshes, or uploads. You pass the numbers with the request, or save a chart and update it yourself.
The supported surface, in full
This is the entire API. Everything the renderer understands is listed here.
| Parameter | Accepts | Default |
|---|---|---|
| type | bar, line, area, or donut | bar |
| title | Chart heading, up to 100 characters | Monthly progress |
| labels | Comma-separated labels, up to 36 characters each | Jan,Feb,Mar |
| values | Comma-separated non-negative numbers | 24,38,52 |
| width | 320–1600 pixels | 800 |
| height | 240–1200 pixels | 480 |
| color | Six-digit hex accent colour | #ff7b5c |
| background | Six-digit hex background colour | #ffffff |
| grid | Draw horizontal guide lines | true |
| valuesOn | Print the value beside each point | true |
| format | svg or png | svg |
What PlotLark does not do
These limits apply before you start, so nothing on this page promises more than the renderer delivers.
- One non-negative numeric series per chart, from 1 to 12 points.
- Bar, line, area, and donut. No stacked, dual-axis, or time-series grammar.
- 320–1600 px wide and 240–1200 px tall, on a solid six-digit hex background.
- Anonymous rendering is capped at 60 origin requests a minute per address.
Common questions
What are the rate limits?
The anonymous endpoint allows 60 origin requests a minute per address. An account key allows 500 renders per UTC day and 120 a minute, with the remaining allowance returned in response headers.
Can I use it without signing up?
Yes. The studio and GET /api/chart work with no account. Signing in adds saved charts, stable revocable URLs, API keys, and visible usage totals.